Photometrically modulated delivery of reagents

• US 20060217896A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. (Entegris Incorporated)
• Inventors: Arno, Jose L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,373,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/31
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/20 Sequence of activities consisting of a plurality of measurements, corrections, marking or sorting steps

Abstract

A process system adapted for processing of or with a material therein. The process system includes: a sampling region for the material; an infrared photometric monitor constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the sampling region and to responsively generate an output signal correlative of the material in the sampling region, based on its interaction with the infrared radiation; and process control means arranged to receive the output of the infrared photometric monitor and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the process system.

Claims

1. A system for processing a gaseous reagent species comprising:

(a) a sampling region for the gaseous reagent species;

(b) a monitor constructed and arranged to responsively generate an output signal correlative of the gaseous reagent species in the sampling region; and

(c) a process controller arranged to receive the output of the monitor and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said gaseous reagent is generated from a non-gaseous species.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said non-gaseous species is transformed into said gaseous reagent species by vaporizing, subliming, volatilizing, or atomizing.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said gaseous reagent species is for use in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said gaseous reagent species is a reagent for a CVD process or ion implant process.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said monitor is arranged to monitor the reagent species of interest, one or more decomposition by-products of the reagents species or combinations thereof.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said non-gaseous form material comprises a solid.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein said non-gaseous form material comprises a liquid.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising a semiconductor manufacturing facility utilizing said material.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing facility comprises a vapor deposition unit.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the semiconductor manufacturing facility comprises an ion implantation unit.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said monitor is an infrared photometric monitor constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the sampling region and to responsively generate an output signal correlative of the gaseous reagent species in the sampling region, based on its interaction with the infrared radiation.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said process controller is adapted to control a delivery parameter selected from gas flow rate, vaporizer temperature, pressure and combinations thereof.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a source vessel for said non-gaseous species.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a synthesis or generating unit for said non-gaseous species.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising flow circuitry for said gaseous species.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said flow circuitry is heated.

18. The system of claim 2, wherein said sampling region is constituted by a gas cell and said gas cell is heated to prevent said gaseous reagent species from reverting to said non-gaseous species.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said process controller controls the flow rate of gaseous reagent species.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein said process controller controls the temperature of the gaseous reagent species.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said process controller controls the processing of or with said gaseous reagent species.

22. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor comprising monitoring a gaseous reagent species using the system of claim 1 and responsively controlling one or more process conditions of said method.